How Strange The Change
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and eighty-eight: Summer is upon them, but they have time for one last song.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 13th cycle. Now cycle 14!_

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**"How Strange The Change"  
Will, Mercedes, Brad **

Will had just stepped out of his last final exam of the year, handed everything in… Summer was just about upon them. On any other year, that would be all it was: any other year. He'd say goodbye to his students and summer would do what it did best… It'd make him forget everything and move on with a clean slate on to the next year… It was a part of life.

He didn't want to forget this year, and it affected him to think that it was over. This year had seen some of his greatest hardships… His divorce and all related events, his failure with Emma… But it had also seen some if not his greatest joys… Glee Club had brought him back to life. The prospect of two long months without them seemed like a dark sky more than a sunny one. He was just thankful they'd received their 'stay of execution,' or else the summer would have been even grayer; now there was light on the other side.

He'd meant to stop by the Glee room one last time, to wish a good summer to Brad, and when he arrived he found the piano player was not alone. He had a chat buddy.

"Mercedes? What are you doing here?" he approached his student, getting that good boost he got around them once again. She looked back at him, just as happy to see him.

"I just wanted to come say hello," she shrugged innocently.

"Well that's why I'm here, too," Will explained, coming to stand next to Mercedes at the piano. "This year wouldn't have been the same without you," he bowed his head to Brad, who did the same. "I could say the same for you," he extended the nod to Mercedes, who smiled in thanks. Will looked around, to Brad, Mercedes… the piano. "It's going to be a good long while," he pointed out. The look on Mercedes' face made it clear this was something she was well aware of. "So what do you think?" Mercedes looked at him. "One last one?" That got a smile on her face, which made Will happy. He put his bag down on the piano and reached in to pull out a folder. He flipped through the sheets, the songs, 'the reserves' as they'd say. Mercedes looked over his shoulder as he went. He saw it at the same time she did. He looked back to her; she had this, but the start was all his.

The sheets were passed around, just in case. Teacher and student stood side by side, and as the music started, the question on their minds was the same… could they make it through the song without breaking down? They got ready, and Will started them off as agreed.

_[W] "Oh, ev'ry time we say goodbye, I die a little, / Ev'ry time we say goodbye, I wonder why a little, / Why the Gods above me, who must be in the know. / Think so little of me, they allow you to go. / And, when you're near, there's such an air of spring about it, / I can hear a lark somewhere, begin to sing about it, / There's no love song finer, but how strange the change from major to minor, / Ev'ry time we say goodbye."_

Mercedes watched him perform… He really was something special, good Mr. Schue. She'd never met anyone like him. Sure, he made mistakes sometimes, but who didn't? He was as much one of them as they were. And he cared for them, cared about their dreams. He always had their backs, and they really appreciated it… a lot more than he probably realized. It had taken no sweat to get everyone in to sing to him, when they thought they were losing both him and the club. Everyone had taken to a stool and opened their hearts for Schue.

As his part ended, he looked to her, and she was smiling as she carried on the song.

_[Me] "Ev'ry time we say goodbye, I die a little, / Ev'ry time we say goodbye, I wonder why a little, / Why the Gods above me, who must be in the know. / Think so little of me, they allow you to go. / When you're near, there's such an air of spring about it, / I can hear a lark somewhere, begin to sing about it, / There's no love song finer, but how strange the change from major to minor, / Ev'ry time we say goodbye."_

Will went on observing her, much like she'd done with him. He could still see now the power he'd seen in her on day one. Only difference was how she handled herself with that power. She had grown, in this period of time, and he couldn't be prouder, knowing this.

Finally their voices became joined to close out the song.

_[W&Me] "Ev'ry time we say goodbye. / Say goodbye."_

There were smiles between the three of them. Brad stood from his bench, shook Will's hand, shared a quick hug with Mercedes before making his exit. Will put his papers back in his bag, looked back to Mercedes.

"Summer won't be that long," he assured her. "We'll be back before we know it."

"Right," she nodded. "It'll be good not to have to worry about Sectionals, Regionals, Vocal Adrenaline, Coach Sylvester…" she listed off and he smirked.

"Take care of yourself, alright?" he patted her shoulder.

"You too," she smiled. After another pause, they moved to leave the room, rendering it songless until September and a new year of school, and Glee… They'd make it even better than the first.

THE END

_And on my way out, a little survey of sorts! It's for something to come later ;)_

_Give me ONE show [everyone gets only one pick] you love the episode titles from [you can put along 3 to 5 of those episode titles along with it!]_

_[Still need 6 more! [Only if you haven't put one in already!] Please!]_

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**_[A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, story alert won't get you anything! ;)]_**


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